SATURDAY 09 FEBRUARY 2008
Blue Square South
|
|
|
|
|
|
SATURDAY 09 FEBRUARY 2008 Blue Square South |
|||
There are some games which live in the memory and others which don’t. In years to come spectators who were at Clarence Park for this clash will struggle to recall a single incident.
The match was billed as important for both sides as City try to avoid a second successive relegation with chairman John Gibson sounding off his disappointment in the match programme about senseless suspensions, silly mistakes and openly hostile former friends. With the club now on their third manager of the season and with just one win and six points to show from 13 Blue Square South home games, no doubt many of our fans travelled expecting a relatively easy three points.
That proved not to be the case and St Albans did not put a foot wrong defensively. They were quick to pull eight outfield players behind the ball whenever they lost possession and, as Peter Beadle pointed out after the match, sides are going to do this against County who are regarded as one of the strongest attacking teams in the division. With Craig Hughes suspended, Jermaine Clarke was given his long awaited first start in a league match alongside Charlie Griffin, but this apart, the County team picked itself.
The 150 travelling fans in a crowd well above the usual number at Clarence Park these days waited for County to spark, but the engine did not get beyond second gear throughout and it was only in the last 15 minutes that an away goal looked more than a remote possibility. Referee Michael Rowley obviously was not enthralled by a dismal first half which he terminated 20 seconds short of the full quota despite several stoppages, including one requiring shirt exchanges for Saints full-back Jomo Faal-Thomas and County’s Clarke following a clash of heads.
Ian Hillier also needed extensive treatment for a hamstring problem which caused his early replacement with Lee Jarman while Glyn Thompson acted decisively to stop Simon Martin giving City a 43rd minute lead when a goal looked probable. Blue Square South’s best goalkeeper (by a distance) reacted well to deny home skipper Lee Clarke on 51 minutes and Thompson again excelled when timing his run from his line perfectly to dive at the feet of the same player with six minutes remaining.
This was just a typical goalless draw of the variety in which defences perform much better than attacks. Charlie Griffin has scored 16 times this season but this was not his day and there were no signs of a partnership in the making with Clarke who must have felt isolated at times. Griffin missed when well placed early in the second half while Clarke was close with two headers just before his replacement by Alsop. The young striker can be pleased with his effort and application however and he should benefit from the experience.
With Saints tiring, Alsop proved a handful for them but it was Griffin who had the chances to settle the game but he just failed to get on the end of an inviting Richard Evans cross before miscuing with the goal at his mercy seven minutes from time. That was about it for County though referee Rowley was able to do his impression of a teacher chastising a naughty child when Evans kicked the ball 40 yards away after a throw-in had been signalled.
This game, unlike so many these days, was not about the referee though and he does not deserve blame for a disappointing afternoon in Hertfordshire. Saints though still have to face several of County’s closest rivals at home and, on this form, they will prove difficult to beat. We wish them well!
Man of the Match: Saints: Luke Thurlbourne (Lively midfield debut from a 17 year-old new signing). County: Glyn Thompson (Three good saves). Special Mention: St Albans City FC (For making all County visitors so welcome). |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
||
 |
||
|
|
||
 |
||
|
|
||
 |
||
|
|
||
 |
||
|
|
||
 |
||
|
|
||
 |
||
|
|
||
 |
||
 |
||
 |
||
|
© Colin Jeremiah |
|
|
